I used a HF $20 unit as a prefilter then a Sharpe self draining final filter at the end of an approximate 50 foot run. The HF as a final filter I felt really didn't pull out all of the entrained water, but the Sharpe did for sure. I also had a small filter at the compressor outlet to pull out any potential oil carry over (never had any, but.....). I also did my primary air pressure adjustments, i.e. to ~25psig at the outlet of the filters and the final adjustments at the gun (14-16psig for my Iwata LPH400) with a separate very good larger diameter gauge - that is one the would read something a bit finer then the 160psig of most of them. In all, I spent about $150, or about the price of a quart of good brand paint for this equipment.


Photo w/o the primary regulator


Primary regulator


Gun regulator

The gray speckles (SPI epoxy)on the filters are from a HF 43430 (purple gun) - a POS that spits out more overspray then any gun I used - ever. It's long gone!!!